The Beat of A Heart
by Dramawriter
Summary: Sheridan runs a way to Seattle to hide a secret no one can ever find out. If they do it could mean disaster for all who are involved.
1. Default Chapter

**The Beat of a Heart  
dramawriter**

  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Sheridan Crane, Luis Lopez Fitzgerald, Theresa Lopez Fitzgerald, Pilar Lopez Fitzgerald, Beth Wallace, or Hank Bennett. They belong to NBC studios, James E. Reilly, Out Post Farm and any other affiliates incorporated with "Passions."  I do own the characters of, Michelle Thomas and Andy Michaels. The songs used are "That's How Love Moves" By Faith Hill, written by (?). "Je t'attends" By Axelle Red, written by D. Seff & R. Seff.  
  
In life, things don't always turn out as you plan.  You make a decision and it can ruin your life, or it can be the best one you've ever made.  There's no telling where it will lead.  Sometimes your life can change in the beat of a heart.   
   
[August 10th 2000 (Harmony)]  
   
Sheridan watched Luis from a distance as he lifted weights in the Youth Center gym; with every passing moment his body became covered in sweat, each drop glistening off his body.  The muscles with in his arms bulged whenever he lifted the weights.   Making her feel weak in the knees.  But that wasn't the only thing he was doing to her body, he could turn her on like no other man before. She loved the graceful movements his body made, his hands so delicate especially when they had touched her body like the weeks before.  She blushed and smiled as she remembered the night they made love in her cottage during the Fourth of July party at the Crane estate.  That smile soon turned into a frown remembering the consequences of their actions.  Julian had found out two days after, when Sheridan was speaking with Ethan about it at the main house when he walked in.  He immediately called Alistair, they both threatened to cut her off if she didn't break off the relationship.  She had kept her foot in the door for the time being by threatening to expose their secrets, to tell the media all about their 'deals' over the years.  
   
She knew she could do without the money, name, and the power that came with it, or so she believed.  But now, she knew that she had to take whatever they would give her, for another person would fully rely on her.  They would rely on her for shelter, food, and love; she would have to do it alone.  No one could help her, not even Luis; they would kill him if he did.  But Luis would never know about their child she carried within her, no one ever would.  Although wanting desperately to tell him, she couldn't risk all of their lives.  She would leave, never looking back, never coming back.  She had to.   
   
"I hope you will forgive me Luis, if you ever find out.  I don't think I could bare you hating me." Sheridan whispered, watching him for the last time.  No one had ever died of a broken heart, had they?  
   
[August 16th 2000 (Harmony)]  
   
            Sheridan had been gone for six days the search party still hadn't given up, Luis wouldn't let them.  Everyone around him could see how much he desperately wanted her back; to hold her in his arms once more.  
   
            Luis sat alone at his desk at the police station thinking of where she might have gone.  Nothing came to mind, except the day they had made love.  
   
[July 4th 2000  (Harmony)]  
   
Luis watched Sheridan watching him, their eyes connected from across the lawn of the Crane estate.  The Fourth of July party was the idea of Julian, thinking it best to put the best Crane foot forward; every one in Harmony was invited.  Luis really didn't want to go but he knew Sheridan was going to be there and he had to see her.  
   
"Hey, Luis" Beth came up from behind him making him jump.  
   
"Oh Hey, Beth" He glanced back at Sheridan who was now pretending not to look at him.  
   
"This was nice of Mr. Crane wasn't it." She made small talk, which Luis was, nonetheless interested in hearing.  
   
"Yeah, it was" He lied to her.  
   
"So … the barbeque is open do you want to get something to eat?" She gave him a big smile.  
   
"Um, " He glanced back at Sheridan, "actually, I promised someone else that I would eat with them, excuse me Beth … I'll see you later?" He gave her a small smile not waiting to hear her reply before walking away.  
              
"Yeah sure"  
   
Sheridan was standing by a bush picking at its leaves when Luis came up from behind her, kissing her neck.  Startled by it she turned around to see who it was.  
              
"Luis?"   
              
"I'm sorry … I couldn't resist" He gave her his boyish grin she couldn't help but smile.  He reached in front of her pulling a white flower from the bush, putting it in her hair.  
              
"Come on, let's get something to eat" He led her by the hand over to the table where the food was being served. They were still holding hands as they went through the line, not caring who saw them. As they neared the end of the table Luis grabbed a box of Crackerjacks, Sheridan smiled at him because she knew they were his favorite even as a child.  She knew a lot about Luis, but not everything she was hoping that somehow that would change as they got to know each other better.  
   
"Luis, hold my plate for me please, I'll be right back"   
   
"Yeah sure," she handed him her plate, "where are you going?"  
   
"It's a surprise …"  
   
"Oh goody I love surprises" He said sarcastically; she stuck her tongue out at him running off in the direction of her cottage.  Less than 5 minutes later she returned with a quilt in hand.    
   
"What's that for?" He was dumbfounded.  
   
"Come on, it can't be that long since you've been on a picnic."   
   
"A picnic?"  
   
"Yeah … a picnic, come on Luis." She had already started heading in a direction that was covered by trees but the sun beat down on the area making it perfect.  It was Sheridan's favorite place to go as a child when her father was away, when nobody wanted her around.  It was her secret place and nobody could take it away from her.  Once there she spread the quilt out on the ground then Luis handed her, her plate once she was seated.  
   
"Thank You, Luis"  
   
"Anytime" She gave him a big smile, which melted his heart instantly.  
Luis sat down beside of Sheridan and began eating but was soon distracted by Sheridan's sweet perfume and how so close he was sitting next to her.  He stopped and began watching her every move, the way she let the juice of the corn run down her chin, the way she delicately wiped it not to mess up her make up … she was fascinating to him.  Sheridan soon became aware of him watching her and became self-conscious.  
   
"Luis? Why are you staring at me?"  
   
"I have to … to see the most magnificent creature that walked the earth." She gave a colossal smile and began laughing.  
   
"Are you laughing at me?"  She was laugh so hard that she could barely speak.  
              
"Yeah"  
   
"What is so funny?" He was getting irritated.  
   
"That was so corny…" He began laughing with her.  
   
"Yeah it was … but it's the truth" They both stopped laughing, Luis looked deeply into her eyes; Sheridan couldn't believe one man could see so much in her. Luis leaned down to her mouth kissing her with feather kisses, caressing her lips with his own. Sheridan wrapped her arms around his pulling him closer to her, kissing him deeper with an urgency born of need and desire.  She ran her fingers through his soft black hair savoring every moment.  Luis gently leaned them both forward to lay them down on the quilt, they pulled back looking into each other's eyes to make sure this what they both wanted … it was.  Sheridan slowly began unbuttoning Luis's shirt trailing kissing down his neck and on to his chest as she unbuttoned each button.  Successful in her task she threw his shirt to the side not caring where it landed. Pulling his mouth down on to hers once more in a bruising kiss. They were so caught up in each other, so desperate to feel one another, physically and emotionally that they never noticed the footsteps of the intruding person.  
   
"Ahem" Someone cleared their throat to announce their presence. Sheridan and Luis broke apart and sat up to see who it was.  
   
"Theresa!" Luis was shocked to see his baby sister catching him and Sheridan about to make love.  She stood there smiling at them, Sheridan bent over and grabbed Luis's shirt handing it to him, both of them stood up.  
   
"Sorry you guys, but Luis mama told me to tell you that if weren't too busy to come step up some chairs … but I can see you are so I leave you two alone."  
   
"Okay…. Theresa about …" He tried to explain to her.  
   
"Luis I'm not a little girl anymore, I could see what you were doing … and … I don't think anyone would mind if you two got together.  It's about time anyway." She gave them a smile and walked back down to the party. Sheridan began laughing burying her face into Luis's shoulder.  
   
"I have never been more embarrassed in my life."  
   
"I know, at least she's not your baby sister."  
   
"Come on let's sit down" Luis suggested, pulling her down into his lap as he sat down.  He put his hand down on the quilt beside him landing on the Crackerjack's box he had gotten earlier.  
   
"Hey, I'd forgotten about these." Sheridan smiled at him as he opened them, she held out her hand asking him for some of them.  
   
"Uh-uh, back off woman I may like you but not that much." She leaned in and teasingly kissing him pulling back trying to get him to give her the cracker jacks he pulled back.  
   
"Okay, Okay I give! Just stop teasing" She smiled and he poured some in her hand along with a red-stripped package, which he immediately pulled out of her hand.  
   
"Hey! That was mine!"  
   
"I don't think so, my dear." She turned back around pretending to be mad.  He opened the package and found a fake diamond ring that looked incredibly real.   
   
"Sheridan turn around here … I have something for you" She shook her head but grinning while she did so.  
              
"Oh come on Sheridan please?" She thought she would let him know she really wasn't mad. Turning around she smiled.  
   
"I'm sorry," He then realized she was faking, "you weren't really mad were you?" She shook her head.  
   
"You little faker" She shrugged her shoulders leaning in for a kiss.  
              
"So what do you have for me?" She was curious.  
   
"I don't know if I should give it to you now."  
   
"Please, Luis?" She made a puppy dogface, which Luis was susceptible to. He rolled his eyes.  
   
"Okay" He opened his hand.  
   
"It's a fake ring but that's not what matters … I want you to wear it as a promise ring.  My promise to you that I'll love you forever"  
   
"Oh Luis, I love you too, of course I'll wear your ring." He slipped it on to her ring finger.  He leaned in kissing her she pulled back.  
   
"Luis, I want you to know there's nothing anybody could do or say to take away my love for you … you're the first man I've trusted whole hearted in a long time.  When I have said 'I love you', I've never really meant it until now." She then hugged him with tears flowing down her cheeks. She couldn't believe she had just admitted that to him.  She pulled back and looked into his eyes.  
   
"Luis … I want you to make love to me, for us to make love to each other." She said with a desperate longing for an emotional touch, an emotional feeling.  It was no longer physical between them but rather spiritual.  He could see the need of her heart and soul through her eyes. Who was he fooling he needed her just as much. He leaned into her but she stopped him. He was confused.  
   
"I think we should find somewhere more private … no more interruptions.  My cottage?" He nodded his head. Gathering up their belongings they head back to the party pretending nothing was up.  Putting their plates on the table they walked over to her cottage.  Walking inside Sheridan went over to the stereo putting on some music. Going over to Luis she wrapped her arms around his neck dancing with him.  
   
~~~  
 It's such as mystery  
How he found something in me  
That I never knew was there  
But he uncovered it so easily  
He turned me like a season  
And I began to change  
Since he wrapped himself around me  
You know I've never been the same, 'cause  
   
Chorus:  
That's how love works  
That's how love moves  
Like a river running through you   
Sometime it lifts you high as heaven  
It consumes you   
But that's a given  
That's how love moves  
   
I've seen walls that could never be broken   
Come tumbling down  
I've heard the voice of love when it's calling  
Without making a sound  
See I was touched by an angel  
The day he took my hand  
And you know he's a miracle  
That makes me everything I am, but  
   
(Chorus)  
~~~   
   
Sheridan looked up at Luis he leaned down and kissed her with an unbridled kiss of passion.  Luis quickly unbutton Sheridan's shirt pulling it off of her tossing it to the floor, the same happened to Luis shirt and Sheridan's bra.    
   
Luis ran his fingers gently down the sides of her breasts arousing her, getting a moan in response he went further and began kissing her breasts taking her nipples into his mouth gentle caressing them with his tongue. Sheridan's head flew back in ecstasy.  
   
            "mmm ... oh, Luis" She held his head in her hands pulling it back up to her mouth. His tongue battled with hers for domination and eventually submission. He picked her up into his arms carrying her into her bedroom to make love to her.   
   
            Luis was the first to awake with Sheridan's head lying on his chest, their naked bodies curled up to each other's.   Luis gently ran his fingers up and down Sheridan's back kissing her head. Luis looked over at the clock it was 9:30 p.m., he had woken up just in time to see the fireworks display at 10:00 p.m.  Sheridan began to awake smiling as she remembered the last few hours.  
   
"I knew I was good but to deserve a smile like that I must have done a great job" He wiggled his eyebrows at her; Sheridan began laughing against his chest shaking them both.  
   
"Modest, are we?" She said sarcastically, making him laugh along with her.  
Sheridan looked up at Luis shifting herself onto her elbow to kiss him.  
   
"I love you," It sounded strange to Sheridan to say that so soon but she knew it was true, "I never thought I would hear myself say that to another man so soon and especially to you, after all we didn't hit things right off the bat."  
   
"No, we didn't but if we did, we wouldn't have had the experiences we did.  Especially New Mexico." He smiled at her remembering their 'first' kiss.  
   
"What are you thinking about?" She was curious as to the reason of his smile.  
   
"The first time you kissed me, in New Mexico"  
   
"I never…" She shut her mouth remembering that he had told her that they had kissed or rather she had kissed him, " What else happened in New Mexico? Did I say anything more?"  
   
"Yeah you did, when I climbed into bed with you to keep you warm, you asked me… you asked me to make love to you. It was mighty tempting but I couldn't take advantage of you.  Even back then you meant too much to me to ruin anything we might have had.  That's when I sort of realized that you and I were thrown together by one of life's little mysteries … fate." She leaned down and kissed him.  
   
"Hey the fireworks are about to start how about we get dressed and go watch them?" She waited for his reply before getting up to get her clothes on.  
              
            They were just in time to see the fireworks display, they stood together Sheridan leaned back against Luis as he wrapped his arm around her waist. They heard someone walking up to them and they broke apart.  
              
"Hey you two where have you been?" Hank asked coming up to them with Beth in tow.  They looked at each other their eyes communicating what they wanted to say, the truth.  
              
"We were at Sheridan's cottage" Luis spoke up.  
              
"Really… we'll you can go now Luis. I'm here now." He went to pull Sheridan over to him; Luis put his hand on Hank's arm stopping him.  
              
"I don't think so." He looked serious.  
              
"What are you doing man, Beth's your girl now leave us. I won already."   
              
"You don't get it do you, Sheridan's not a prize to won no woman is."   
              
"You slept with her didn't you?" It was an outrageous accusation with the little knowledge he had of what happened, even if the truth. Luis looked down at the ground,   
   
"Ah, Man! You did! Well, great going buddy, well at least I had her first." He gave an evil grin.  
   
Luis stepped forward about to fight him, but Sheridan stopped him by putting her hand on his arm. Beth saw the glare of the ring off the moonlight.  
              
"You're engaged? Well, I always knew he wouldn't marry me.  Even after all of these years, we had more in high school than you will ever have."  
   
"Guess what Beth, school's out the bell… has rung." Sheridan told her getting up into her face.  
   
"You just better watch it Sheridan." She turned around and left pulling Hank with her.  
   
"I can't believe those two" Luis spoke up.  
   
"They are just lonely people, who can't seem to move on." Sheridan somewhat felt sorry for them. She slipped back into Luis's arms.  
   
"I never slept with Hank … I want you to…" He cut her off.  
   
"I know you didn't." He said leaning down kissing her as fire works boomed in the background.  
   
[August 16th 2000 (Harmony)]  
   
Luis smiled as he remembered his first and last time he made love to Sheridan.   
   
"Hey I know that smile I haven't seen it in a while though" Someone spoke up.  
   
"Theresa? What are you doing here?"  
   
"It was getting late and Momma sent me here to tell you to come home."  She sat on the edge of the desk next to him.  
   
"I can't Theresa … she still…" He paused  
   
"… Is Gone? Missing?" Theresa filled in his words from the excuses he had been giving for days.  
   
"She still isn't in my arms." Tears began flowing down his face one after another. Theresa leaned in hugging him.  
   
"You'll have her in yours arms again Luis … nothing in the world can stand in your way not now, you truly love her don't you," She said rhetorically, "but making yourself sick by not sleeping and eating will not help her one bit Luis.  Now come on let's go home." She pulled him up and out of the chair.


	2. The Beat of a Heart 2

[August 16th 2000 (Seattle, Washington)]  
              
            Sheridan had decided that if she were to forget about Luis she would have to move far away, and Seattle was the farthest she could think of from Harmony.  In many ways Seattle was like Harmony except it was much bigger.  Before she left she had drained her personal bank account, $150,000.  She knew it wouldn't last long, not with living expenses, food bills, doctors, and everything else she and the baby would need.   
   
She knew she had to get a job, where to start was the problem.  She had to change her last name for sure and get rid of the car they would be able to track it. She picked up the phone in her hotel room at the _Motel 6_, the accommodations weren't what she was used to but she didn't want to cause suspicion and it would cost less, saving money.  She called an old friend of hers that she had met in Paris and was a criminal of sorts that had moved back to the United States a few months back, specifically Seattle.  
   
"Jarod?" Sheridan asked when someone picked up.  
   
"Yeah? Who is this?"  
   
"It's Sheridan, Paris 3 years ago…" She hoped he remembered her.  
   
"Oh hey Sheridan, babe what ya need?"   
   
"I need some fake ID Cards … could you get them for me?"  
   
"Sure babe anything what for?"       
   
"It's kind of personal, let's just say I got myself in a 'little' trouble at home and I have to stay away."  
   
"I hear you loud and clear. I'll get them to you by Friday … where are you staying?"  
              
"Um, could you drop them off in an envelope at the Sea Blue Diner it's on 48th and Fair View." She said looking at the phone book; she didn't quite trust this guy.   
   
"By the way, what name would you like to use?"  
   
"Sheridan," She thought for a moment, "Delacroix" It sounded all right to her.  
   
"Sure sweetie … I'll have them there by 10 a.m. Friday, you just mail 7,000 dollars to P.O. Box 3749 at the local Seattle post office."  
   
"Fine" Sheridan hung up the phone and began thinking about Luis … his smile, his touch.  All of the sudden she felt sick and headed for the bathroom, it was morning sickness again and it wasn't even morning. Sheridan came back out of the bathroom and laid down on the bed thinking about the day she found out she was pregnant, and how eventful it was.  
   
[August 3rd 2000 (Harmony)]  
   
            The sunlight streamed through Sheridan's bedroom window illuminating the room.  She was sleeping peacefully until she felt an onset of queasiness darting out of bed and in to the bathroom she began vomiting.  Several minutes later she was looking at herself in the mirror, knowing true of what she dreaded the most.  She hoped she was wrong, but there was only one way to find out for sure, a home pregnancy test.  That afternoon she head out to a small store where no one knew her for sure.  She walked down the aisle in which she would find the test she was looking for.  Finally she spotted what she had come for, a sickening feeling came as she saw it, how could she have been so stupid, how was she going to tell Luis.  Her head reeled with so many questions, and then she realized she was standing in the middle of a drug store holding a pregnancy test. She shook her head … 'I'm losing my mind already.'  
   
 She began heading for the counter when she spotted Grace Bennett, 'Oh lord here we go.'  Sheridan looked down at the pregnancy test in her hand shoving it back on the shelf, pretending to look at some tampons. Sheridan scoffed at the irony of the situation; she only wished she were here for tampons than what she actually was here for. She cringed as she heard Grace's voice call her name.  
   
"Sheridan?" Grace poked her head around the corner.  
   
"Grace, How nice to see you." She gave her a smile.  
   
"You too. So what are you here for?" Sheridan looked a little shocked since they were standing next to feminine products. Sheridan pointed to the tampons on the shelf rather awkwardly.   
   
"Oh, yeah me too." Grace didn't even seemed phased to talk about such a personal matter with her, someone she barely knew.  How the hell was she going to get out of this?  
   
"Excuse me Sheridan I see my daughters and niece" Grace pointed out and went over to Kay, Jessica, and Charity.  Sheridan took this opportunity to grab the pregnancy test and get out of there before anyone else showed up.  
   
Once home Sheridan took the pregnancy test but had to wait the allotted time to find out. She was beginning to lose it all together in a wave of panic.  
   
"Please be blue, please be blue" She held her head in her hands. She heard the timer on her watch go off and about jumped out of her skin.  She got up and went into the bathroom. She picked it up taking a deep breath before looking, as she looked down all she could see was the color pink.  She closed her eyes … she was pregnant.  What was she going to do; Luis would think she did it on purpose.  She had asked him to make love to her … it was all her fault.  What would her family think, what would they do.  She couldn't she just couldn't tell anyone.  She slid down the bathroom wall and began sobbing.  
   
[August 16th 2000 (Seattle, Washington)]  
   
            Getting frustrated with herself, Sheridan got up grabbing her jacket and purse heading out to get a bite to eat.  She had noticed a diner on her way to the motel.  The diner looked cheap, but the clerk she had spoken to when checking in said it was great.  She also knew that Julian nor any other Crane wouldn't have dared to step a foot in the place.  As she pulled up to the restaurant she could see that it was made out of an old train car, getting out of the car she noticed the sign on the top, "Andy's Diner."  In the window she saw a "help wanted" sign, she thought she would check it out.  Seating her self at the counter, she took the liberty of looking over a menu.  
              
"Excuse me, miss, coffee?"  
              
"Yes, Please" Looking at the waitress clad in jeans and a company shirt that boldly said, "Andy's Diner" and a name tag telling everyone that her name was Michelle She looked happy to be working there. "Decafe" Sheridan added at the last moment, Michelle nodded in acknowledgment.  She came back to pour her coffee.  
              
"Excuse me, miss"   
              
"Michelle" The waitress corrected.  
              
"Michelle, I was wondering who I would talk to about the "help wanted" sign in the window"   
              
"That would be Andy, he's the owner and the manager.  He's in the back, I'll go get him."   
              
"Thank You" Sheridan said as Michelle walked into the kitchen.  Just then a song came on the radio.  She had heard the song several times before, in France. The memories of the past began to emerge.  
   
~~  
Tous ces gens qui passent autour de moi  
Dans la ville  
Ces gens qui courent et qui marchent au pas  
Ou vont-ils  
Est-ce le vent qui les pousse  
Vers d'invisibles rêves  
Que voient-ils au bout de leur course  
Quand le brouillard se lève  
   
Réponds-moi, je t'attends, je t'attends, je t'attends  
   
Tous ces gens qui se serrent dans leurs bras  
Sur leurs coeurs,  
Qui n' savent plus ce que c'est d'avoir froid  
D'avoir peur  
Est-ce la terre qui retient leurs pas  
Ou le ciel qui est trop lourd  
Ils marchent à l'écard du hasard  
Que savent-ils de l'amour  
~~  
   
[April 18th 2000 (Paris, France)]  
              
            Roger and Pierre had given up on finding the American fiancé of Jean-Luc Mulan, for the moment.  They had escaped in an air vent in the hotel they had swung into on a cable wire. They had began talking, and Sheridan seemed to be the most open in expressing her thoughts.  
              
"I'm almost starting to feel like a cat with nine lives; although I never even expected to get this old in the first place." She spoke the truth, although Luis didn't believe it.  
              
"What are you talking about? You're Young."   
              
"Well, growing up I always thought I'd die of a really early age." It was a thought she had know for years.  
              
"What made you think that?" He was curious as to why a beautiful, rich woman could believe such a thing.  
              
"I don't know." She looked perplexed, as if looking for the last piece of puzzle that just wouldn't fit.  "Actually, It might have something to do with having my fortune told by this gypsy I went to in boarding school."  
              
"Oh, don't tell me you believe in that garbage.  That's a waste of good money." He laughed at the naive ness of going to a 'fortune teller.'  
              
"I only went because these girls I knew asked me to go with them," She explained, defending herself, "and actually it was a lot of fun at first until the gypsy got to me and then she got all serious and quiet.  Just wish I hadn't gone." It was a mistake that she regretted.  Thinking it was the root of her loneliness.  
              
"Well, what'd she say?" Luis was intrigued.  
              
"Basically.  That I would never be happy."   
              
"Oh. Well, you don't believe in that garbage." He laughed.  
       
"Well, she said it was my destiny to never get married, never have children, and never have a family of my own."   
   
[August 16th 2000 {Seattle, Washington)]  
   
Cent fois, sans toi  
J'ai cherché ma route  
Sans foi ni loi  
Seule avec mes doutes  
Je t'attends  
Je t'attends, je t'attends, je t'attends  
   
Cent fois, sans toi  
J'ai cherché ma route  
Sans foi ni loi  
Seule avec mes doutes  
Cent fois, sans toi  
Le coeur en déroute  
Sans foi ni loi  
J'ai perdu ma route  
Je t'attends  
Je t'attends, je t'attends, je t'attends  
~~  
              
The song ended as Sheridan broke out of her memories of Luis and her together.  'I guess that fortune teller was half wrong...' Sheridan told herself looking down at her still flat stomach. She had to stop thinking of Luis or this would be harder than it already was.  She was doing it for him, because she loved him enough to let him go. To let him take care of his family, he couldn't do that while trying to support her and their child.  It would be too much for him and she couldn't destroy him as she had almost done last May.  When she had pressed charges against him for taking her against her will from Paris.  She had only been upset with him and wanted to 'teach him a lesson'; instead he almost lost his job, his freedom, and most of all his family.  It would have been all her fault if they hadn't found out the truth, that Alistair had an impostor break them up and Sheridan had blamed Luis.  He really couldn't blame her for being so upset.  Upset enough to run back to Paris, and have him arrested.  
              
Sheridan looked back up when she heard the kitchen door open; Michelle was coming back out with a tall, fairly muscular man, with a beard and appeared to be in his mid sixties.  
"Michelle told me you are interested in the waitress job." His voice was deep and frightened Sheridan a little, but in a way comforted her.  She found it odd.  
              
"Yes, I am" She seemed a little nervous, but she had to get this job.   
              
"Do you have any experience?" A little straight forward but Sheridan didn't mind.  
              
"No, I'm sorry I don't."  
              
"Well, I can't hire you without experience." Sheridan was struck stupid.  
              
"Why? I'm a quick learner, please.  I need this job."  
              
"How bad do you want it?" He was testing her, although she didn't know it.  
              
"I'll do anything, I've gotten myself in a bit of trouble and I need a way to pay the bills.  Please, give me a chance." He looked at her, he sensed a strong will from her.  It was compelling, looking into her eyes seeing the pain, despair and now desperation there.  
              
"What kinda trouble?  I don't need ex-boyfriends coming in looking for you, trashing up the place and I don't take too kind to criminals neither."   
              
"I'm expecting a baby." Sheridan looked down as if it were the most shameful thing in the world.  
              
"How far along are you?"   
              
"About six weeks"   
              
"That gives you just about six months to work before your baby is due." He looked at her with a sad face his heart was melting inside.   
              
"You mean I have the job?" A small sparkle returned to her eyes in hope.  
              
"We'll see, just show up here first thing Monday morning at 8 o'clock and we'll get you situated."  
              
"Thank you so much, you won't regret this."  
              
"I'd better not." He blurted out, trying to give a macho appearance.  Although Sheridan already knew he was a real sweet heart.  
              
"By the way, honey, what's your name?"  
              
"Sheridan, Sheridan Delacroix." She used her alias.  
              
"Welcome Sheridan to Andy's Restaurant." He gave her a huge smile, she would like it there she knew already.  
   
[August 17th 2000 (Seattle, Washington)]  
   
            Sheridan had spent the entire day searching for an apartment and she had lucked out and found a two bedroom place for $800 a month. Cheap compared to the others she had looked at. It was really nice, a view of the Space needle and the tall business buildings, even a view of the harbor. She had to wait until tomorrow until she could sign the lease, due to the fact she had no identity as of yet. The owner would hold it for her, only doing so after learning she was expecting.  She had gone to _Andy's Diner_ that afternoon for lunch and soon after returned to her hotel, falling asleep immediately. The baby made her exhausted all of time, making it hard to complete anything. She had almost completely slept through dinner, but she knew she had to eat for the baby.  She had already gained five pounds, and expected to gain a lot more.  
   
[August 18th 2000 (Seattle, Washington)]  
   
            Rolling over in bed, Sheridan looked at the clock and it said 9:30.  Jarod would be at the restaurant in 30 minutes.  She had just enough time to shower and be there at least 15 minutes after him.  She had plans to go to the owner of the apartment and sign the lease, and then go look for furniture so she could move in at least within the week.  Living at the motel for too much longer would start to put a crimp in her budget plan.  She still hadn't even checked out doctors, something very important for her to do. 30 minutes later she was heading out the door to pick up her identification at the Sea View restaurant. Arriving 10 minutes later she went to the hostess.  
   
"Excuse me, I was wondering if you had an envelope for me.  Sheridan Cr… Delacroix." She had almost said her real last name; something she feared would happen and expose her.  Putting everyone's lives in jeopardy.   
   
"Yes, we do." The hostess reached under the podium pulling out a manila envelope, handing it to her.   
   
"Thank You," Sheridan looked at her, and then walked away.  Once outside she began looking through the papers Jarod had supplied for her.  She had all she needed and now it was time to start her new life as Sheridan Delacroix, single, expectant mother.  She was no longer naïve Sheridan Crane.  
  



End file.
